Attendance & punctuality
At Platt Bridge Community School we work closely with our parents to ensure that pupils maintain excellent attendance and punctuality so that every child’s progress is maximised. Vital learning can be missed if pupils are absent or late to school.
We strive for every child to arrive at school on time and every day. Excellent attendance is recognised and celebrated both individually and at class level, with attendance of the week awards.
Absence Reporting Procedure
In the event of a pupil being absent from school, parents are asked to notify the school by telephone on 01942 487999 (then select option 1) on the child’s first day of absence. On the first attendance after an absence for which permission has not been obtained, the child must bring a letter from his/her parents. Failure to provide a reason for absence will result in the absence being unauthorised. Parents are asked to notify school about routine dentist, doctor, hospital or optician appointments and we encourage parents to take children for these outside of school hours wherever possible.
The importance of parents/carers contacting school with the reason for absence cannot be emphasised enough. We need to ascertain that nothing has happened to the child at home or on his/her way to school and that they are safe. Where a pupil has not arrived in school at the close of the morning register, and parents/carers have not contacted school to report the reason for this absence, then school will follow the protocol below:
- Text / telephone parent/carer to ascertain the reason for non-attendance as soon as is practicably possible after close of register.
- If no contact has been made by afternoon registration, a follow up text will be sent and attempts to telephone will be made.
- If the pupil does not attend on the second day, and no message has been received from parents/guardians, following morning registration a follow up telephone call will be made, including calling other people on the pupil’s contact list. If we are unable to make contact at this point a visit will be made to the home address to attempt to speak to parents. Should no contact be made, a letter will be left asking parents to contact school as a matter of urgency.
- If after afternoon registration, we have still not made contact to check on the welfare of the child then calls will be made to the local authority Safeguarding Team and if we feel it appropriate the police to ask them to carry out a welfare check.